New world No. 1 indicates shift in dominant force in golf?
In the week that Lee Westwood relieved Tiger Woods of his status as the world No. 1, is that a portent of greater changes to come in golf's hierarchy? Could European golfers be set to eclipse the best that the USA have to offer?
It's not unthinkable. Take a look at the world rankings top 10 this week; six of the top positions are held by European golfers, with the other four places held by US stars. That's not an aberration, but of course nor is it unquestionably indicative of a US slump either.
But there are deeper concerns about the state of US golf. Tiger Woods' on-course turmoil may or may not prove temporary, but consider this: Woods has been playing top level golf for the last 15 years, and may have been approaching a gentle decline even before his personal life slid out of control in such egregious fashion.
After all, he forfeited the PGA Championship to YE Yang in 2009 despite leading going into the final round - a hitherto unknown slip. Woods is also without a major victory since his US Open win in 2008. And he has gone on record this year that he plans to spend more time with his children - entirely understandable, as a divorced parent, but on a purely sporting level that would suggest that honing his game is no longer the 34-year-old's chief area of focus.
Woods is the big draw, but of the USA's other top names, one would suggest that in each case, their best years may also be behind them. Phil Mickelson is 40, and a four-time major winner with little yet to prove; a shot at the No. 1 spot would be nice, but Mickelson has had upwards of 10 this year, and each time he failed to knock Tiger off his perch. Mickelson also revealed he had been diagnosed with a form of arthritis earlier this year.
Steve Stricker is a fine talent who nonetheless manages to seem almost anonymous at times. Certainly his unshowy, unfussy play at the Ryder Cup this year was quietly sublime; but Stricker hasn't finished in the top five of a major since 1999. Reliable but rarely revelatory, at 43 Stricker seems an unlikely candidate in the US's search for a dazzling new No. 1.
The other name in the frame is Jim Furyk, currently placed No. 6 in the world. But Furyk, too, is a comparatively elder statesman of the sport at the age of 40, and a similarly unflashy proposition when compared to Woods; or, more pertinently, the new breed of Euro golfer.
Martin Kaymer, at just 25 years old, is already a major winner and will surely improve in the months and years ahead. Rory McIlroy is just 21, and carded a record round at St Andrews at this Open this year before wretched weather put the mockers on McIlroy's bid.
True, there are promising young players on the PGA Tour, too; but Rickie Fowler is still in search of his first win, while Anthony Kim is erratic, and as no stranger to controversy may be lacking the sufficient focus to mix it up at the very top level for a sustained period.
Point is, this current European generation are already performing at the highest level - and at least one of the players of tomorrow looks similarly impressive. Drawing comparisons with Seve Ballesteros at the tender age of 17, Italy's Matteo Manassero has already won his first tournament on the European Tour.
It's been suggested that Westwood may have trouble holding on to his No. 1 spot in the coming weeks and months, but if the short term threat is Martin Kaymer, Europe have several other players vying for all of golf's headiest honours in the coming months and years. Meanwhile, the USA has Bubba Watson.
Woods can still come back, of course, and Mickelson may yet have it in him to add to his past successes. But the impetus lies undeniably with European golf right now. Westwood can press that point home ineluctably this week with a win in Shanghai.
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